Web of Red Tape

Because Timmy had a nightmare and was crying, I slipped my liner on in the wee hours of the morning on Sunday so I could walk to his room. Still in the dark room, my liner felt odd so I quickly felt it so I could verify that it was positioned correctly. I noticed a small hole in the fabric at the bottom, and I knew that the next few days were going to be frustrating.

I am currently in the process of getting new liners, but that was not going to help me in the short term. My insurance adjuster is versed at manufacturing red tape in an effort to delay my treatment. Despite the fact that liners are a necessary item for a prosthetic user, my adjuster may drag out the approval for another few weeks. In the meantime, I am going to struggle to walk and to maintain limb health.

After Timmy was soothed I went back to bed, slipped off my leg and liner and wracked my brain to come up with a solution. When we woke up in the morning Scott helped me cut a silicone patch which I placed on the inside of my liner, over the hole. It worked, but as the day wore on each step became more uncomfortable.  

Taking off my leg, my suspicions were verified. The hole was growing, and the patch was not going to keep me mobile. I needed to come up with another idea. After doing some digging through the closet, I found an old seal-in liner. I knew it was going to be too small, but with my options limited I decided to give it a try.  

Thankfully I was able to don the liner. I couldn't slip into my leg with the seal-in liner, but I was able to slip into my water leg, which has a slightly roomier socket.  Scott swapped the foot on the water leg to a lighter weight, more responsive foot to help me through the days.  Although it is tight, I think it will be manageable until my liners are released from the web of red tape. 

Sometimes being an amputee is frustrating, but I am grateful that I have the spare parts to make a solution when things go wrong!